Chapter 66: Right Army Commander's Office (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 66: Right Army Commander's Office (1)
Vice Sect Leader.
The title alone made it clear that it was the position second only to the Cult Leader.
That was the conclusion I had reached after much deliberation.
In the life before my regression, she was originally destined to become the Cult Leader, and even now, she possessed more than enough capability for it.
And since meeting me, she seemed to have changed slightly.
While her cruelty, arrogance, and ferocity remained, she had grown more tempered through the various trials we had faced.
If she couldn't be the Cult Leader, the position most suited for her was that of the second-in-command.
[You...]
After a brief moment of shock, Baek Hye-hyang sent me a bewildered message via Sound Transmission.
It seemed even she hadn't imagined I would create such a position for her.
We had vied for the leadership, so she likely expected to be ousted, not handed such immense power.
[Why? Is it not to your liking?]
[...Setting aside whether I like it or not, can you truly trust me?]
[We’ve entrusted our lives to each other before. I see no reason to start doubting you now.]
I was still grateful to her.
Regardless of her motives at the time, Baek Hye-hyang had risked her life for me at Peerless Fortress. If not for her, my life would have ended at the hands of Mu Ak.
[If that’s the reason...]
[No. Even without that, I simply believe that for someone of your caliber and status, Vice Sect Leader is the most fitting title.]
At my words, her expression turned peculiar.
She looked different than usual.
It seemed she felt a strange sensation from being recognized not as a woman, but for her value as a talented individual.
With a smirk, she sent another transmission.
[...My eyes didn't deceive me. You really are...]
Just then, someone stepped forward, knelt, and shouted.
"This is not appropriate!"
It was the Third Blood Star, Blood Killing Demon Yang Jeon.
Left Guardian Ha Jong-il immediately rebuked him for his behavior.
"Third Blood Star! The inauguration ceremony isn't over yet. What is the meaning of—"
"Left Guardian."
I called out to him.
As he looked at me in confusion, I signaled for him to step back for a moment.
The Left Guardian retreated.
I looked down at Third Blood Star Yang Jeon from my stone throne and spoke.
"What exactly is not appropriate?"
"The term 'Vice' implies something nearly equal. That means the position of Vice Sect Leader being given to Lady Baek Hye-hyang is a rank second only to the Cult Leader. This is a position that has never existed since the founding of this Cult."
"And?"
"In our Cult, the position of the Cult Leader is like the sun. There is only one sun in the sky. I fear that creating a position nearly equal to that sun will eventually bring harm to the Cult Leader's authority."
The cult members began to murmur at his words.
As expected of someone of the Third Blood Star's rank, he didn't reveal his true intentions openly.
He was a man under Baek Ryeonha’s faction.
He was in a position to oppose Baek Hye-hyang gaining the number two spot more than anyone else.
However, opposing it directly would be an act of open defiance against me, so he framed it as if the position of Vice Sect Leader would be a detriment to me.
He was using his head.
But there was one thing he overlooked.
I replied in a dry, flat voice.
"There's no need to beat around the bush. Are you worried because I gave her a higher rank than Baek Ryeonha?"
"!?"
At those words, Yang Jeon’s expression froze.
The Blood Stars under Baek Ryeonha’s command all looked equally flustered.
They probably didn't expect me to bring it up so bluntly in a place like this.
He couldn't say it directly, but as the one at the top, I could.
"It is not that, but..."
"Is it not? Even if she is the Vice Sect Leader, she is not the Blood Demon. How could she possibly be a detriment to me?"
"O Blood Demon. This servant did not intend..."
"Everyone, listen!"
I infused my voice with internal power, and it thundered across the plaza.
-What are you trying to do?
I’m going to make things clear once and for all.
It was exhausting to walk on eggshells around them one by one.
Since this opportunity had arisen, I needed to state my intentions clearly and eliminate the useless power struggles within these walls.
"Are you the members of my Cult? Or are you the members of Baek Hye-hyang and Baek Ryeonha’s Cults?"
The plaza fell silent at the fundamental question.
Everyone understood the weight of what I was asking.
I pressed them further.
"Do my words sound like a joke to you?"
At my thunderous shout, the cult members finally cried out.
"We are the members of the Blood Demon's Cult!!!"
I looked down at Third Blood Star Yang Jeon and spoke in a cold voice.
"Are you not a member of this Cult? Why do you keep your mouth shut in silence?"
Startled, Yang Jeon bowed his head and shouted.
"I am a member of the Blood Demon's Cult!"
"You know it well. Then what is your grievance?"
"This humble servant merely..."
"Are you worried that I gave Baek Hye-hyang and Baek Ryeonha positions that match their abilities and status?"
"That is..."
As he struggled to answer, I let out a short laugh.
I stood up from the stone throne and declared.
"Baek Hye-hyang and Baek Ryeonha are direct descendants of the previous Blood Demon. Therefore, they cannot be given ordinary positions. Thus, I have bestowed upon Baek Ryeonha the most honorable office of High Priest, and upon Baek Hye-hyang the office of Vice Sect Leader. What is the problem?"
Watching my reaction, Yang Jeon spoke cautiously.
"If you put it that way, it is not a position biased toward one person, but..."
"Can you defeat Baek Hye-hyang with your martial prowess right here and now?"
Yang Jeon was struck dumb.
Of course he couldn't.
Her martial prowess was so high that, excluding First Venerable Dan Wi-gang, myself, or my master, Bizarre Haeakcheon, none of the Revered Stars could match her.
While many variables exist in a duel, no one could deny her strength.
"Our Cult is a group that reveres martial power. If Baek Ryeonha ever attains that level of capability, she can take the position of Vice Sect Leader from Baek Hye-hyang at any time."
I was giving them the chance to take Baek Hye-hyang's spot if they had the ability.
Of course, that would only be possible if Baek Ryeonha stood up and grew her martial arts to that extent.
The corners of Baek Hye-hyang’s mouth curled up into a sharp smirk.
It was as if she were saying, 'I welcome the challenge.'
It was the confidence that she could win any competition for the Vice Sect Leader's seat.
'Ah!'
A good idea suddenly struck me.
I shouted loudly so that everyone could hear.
"I shall proclaim it here and now. Whether you are Revered Stars or ordinary cult members, I will appoint people to positions based solely on their merit!"
-Murmur, murmur!
The quiet crowd began to stir.
The Second Venerable, Raging Demon Lord Seo Gal-ma, who had been watching silently, spoke up.
"By merit, do you mean..."
"It means that anyone with the appropriate ability can seize the position of a Venerable or a Blood Star."
'!!!'
The cult members were in an uproar.
According to my words, as long as they had the skill, they could push out the existing Revered Stars and take their places at any time.
"How could such a thing..."
Fifth Blood Star Hwang Kang looked visibly distraught.
The existing system was a structure where one was promoted as they gained skill.
However, the Blood Cult I would lead was a system where everyone had to compete for a limited number of seats, forcing even the Venerables and Blood Stars to stay on their toes.
-The rice bowls are shaking.
The Lesser Conversation Sword snickered, finding it amusing.
-It is a good method, Un-hwi.
-Not bad. That way, those fellows will have to desperately increase their abilities to avoid losing their spots.
The Namcheon Iron Sword was one thing, but surprisingly, even the Blood Demon Sword agreed with me.
I had devised it on the spot because of the factional rivalry between Baek Hye-hyang and Baek Ryeonha, but thinking of the future, this was definitely better.
First Venerable Dan Wi-gang’s voice reached my ears via Sound Transmission.
[It is an excellent plan. This will create a system where individuals compete rather than factions, which will raise the overall power level of the Cult. Truly killing two birds with one stone.]
It wouldn't stop at just being 'good enough.' It might lead to a massive upward leveling of everyone's skills.
[Cluck, cluck. To keep my seat, I won't be able to neglect my training for even a moment.]
My master, Haeakcheon, was brimming with fighting spirit.
To react like that even though anyone could target his position... he was a martial artist to the core.
On the other hand, Fifth Blood Star Hwang Kang and Sixth Blood Star Seom Mae-hyang were glaring at Yang Jeon, the culprit behind this change, with resentful eyes.
I felt grateful to him.
Thanks to him, I had thought of such a good plan.
"We shall resume the ceremony."
-Thud!
At my shout, Baek Hye-hyang, with a satisfied face, knelt on one knee and bowed her head toward me with her hands clasped.
She shouted.
"I respectfully accept the Cult Leader's command."
With this, Baek Hye-hyang became the Vice Sect Leader, the second-in-command of the Cult.
No one dared to raise an objection anymore.
They were too busy worrying about preserving their own positions to care about factions.
Left Guardian Ha Jong-il glanced at me.
It was because there was an important announcement following this.
-Keke, I’m looking forward to the reactions.
I bet.
Everyone would be shocked when the engagement to Sama Yeong, the daughter of Sama Chak, one of the Four Great Villains, was announced.
Just as Ha Jong-il was about to open his mouth to proclaim it...
A cult member came rushing toward the platform in a panic.
He looked incredibly serious.
"G-Great trouble!"
"What is so urgent that you cause such a commotion?"
Second Blood Star Yu Baek stepped forward and asked the man who had stopped before the platform.
The cult member knelt on one knee and reported.
"T-Thirty thousand imperial troops are currently marching toward this place!"
'!!!'
The plaza erupted at the staggering number of soldiers.
"Thirty thousand?"
"How could so many imperial troops...?"
I was equally bewildered by the sudden movement of the army.
I had received approval for the gathering from the Regional Military Commander and had maintained a good relationship with Judge Lee Seok, so I thought there would be no more major issues.
But thirty thousand soldiers was a force meant for subjugation or war.
'This wasn't a move made at the local Prefecture level.'
A force of this size meant someone higher up was pulling the strings.
*
-Rumble, rumble, rumble!
The earth trembled under the weight of thousands of cavalrymen.
Behind them, a vast number of infantrymen filled the plains, marching in perfect formation.
Between the infantry, horses were pulling hundreds of wagons, upon which large, bow-like objects were loaded.
They were large composite bows known as ballistae.
These were massive weapons that required three people to operate; they could fire dozens of bolts at once with enough power to pierce castle walls, making them incomparable to ordinary arrows.
-Snap!
Upon reaching a certain distance, the cavalry at the front raised a blue flag.
The imperial army halted their march.
The soldiers began loading bundles of arrows into the ballistae on the wagons, and nearly ten thousand archers lay on the ground, loading bolts into medium-sized crossbows.
"..."
The expressions of the Revered Stars watching this were grim.
And for good reason—those ballistae were meant for sieges, but they were also strategic weapons designed to deal with martial artists.
-Why are they doing that?
I didn't know either.
However, the fact that the imperial army had brought such strategic weapons meant that this could turn into a war at any moment.
Even if their individual strength was lower, this was the terror of the State.
They could mobilize countless troops and use such weapons to conduct an overwhelming war of attrition.
"The situation is not good."
First Venerable Dan Wi-gang spoke to me with a hardened face.
I agreed.
No matter how much martial arts one knew, if those thousands of arrows flew all at once, there would be significant casualties.
We had to move out of their range.
Just then, a cavalryman from the imperial army came galloping forward, holding a flag.
"It looks like a messenger."
'Ah!'
The flag was inscribed with 'Right Army Commander's Office.'
My guess that someone above the Prefecture level was moving was correct.
The cavalryman, having reached the outer wall of the headquarters, stopped and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"The Leader of the Blood Cult is to answer the summons of the Right Army Commander's Office alone and unarmed!"
The cult members stirred at the shout summoning me.
There was only one reason the Right Army Commander's Office would be looking for me.
It seemed the bribe I gave to the Regional Military Commander to get approval for the gathering had become an issue.
Had the Martial Alliance made a move?
Just then, my master, Haeakcheon, stood atop the outer wall and shouted back.
"For what reason does the Right Army Commander's Office seek the Cult Leader of our sect?"
The cavalryman shouted in response.
"If he does not answer the summons, this place will become a pincushion under a rain of arrows!"
"What! This bastard doesn't even answer the question and dares to—!"
"Brother Hae!"
Furious at the blatant threat, Haeakcheon was about to leap out when Second Venerable Seo Gal-ma quickly grabbed his sleeve and restrained him.
That was the right choice.
If we killed the messenger, it would mean immediate war.
"Whew."
A sigh escaped me.
To have such a situation occur on the joyous day of my inauguration... nothing ever seemed to go smoothly.
Judging by the fact that they mobilized such a force just to summon me, things would spiral out of control if I refused.
"I will go."
"O Blood Demon!"
"You cannot answer the summons alone!"
"We would rather escort you."
The Revered Stars tried to dissuade me in unison.
Right now, if we were willing to accept some casualties, we could somehow deal with them.
However, the opponent wasn't a mere County or Prefecture, but the Right Army Commander's Office, which oversaw multiple provinces.
Useless friction would drive our relationship with the State to the absolute worst.
I shook my head at the Revered Stars, looked at Baek Hye-hyang, who had just become the Vice Sect Leader, and said,
"It seems it's time for you to take up your duties."
*
As I approached the imperial army, the Lesser Conversation Sword clicked its tongue.
-The soldiers we saw before can't even compare to these guys.
Naturally.
The troops of the Right Army Commander's Office were, quite literally, the regular army.
Since they were a force created for national defense, they were on a different level from the troops operated by a local Prefecture.
That was why they had appeared with strategic weapons meant for sieges and dealing with martial artists.
In the front line stood a bearded middle-aged man in brilliant armor, surrounded by his subordinate generals.
'...That's unexpected.'
-Why?
They've all trained in martial arts.
Martial arts weren't a privilege exclusive to those in the martial world, but their level was quite high.
The man who appeared to be the general had reached the Peak Realm, and the officers under him were at least First-Rate Masters.
-Un-hwi, be careful. The previous master said the reason the State is terrifying isn't just because of their army of millions, but because of the hidden masters they possess.
I suppose that's true.
If the State only consisted of ordinary people, the Imperial Court would have been overthrown long ago.
It was said the Imperial Court possessed hidden power that would shock even the martial world, and seeing these men made me curious.
-Clang, clang, clang!
As I arrived before them, the archers in the front row all aimed at me simultaneously.
The general on horseback spoke.
"Are you the Leader of the Blood Cult?"
"I am. May I ask who you are, General?"
A man of this caliber would likely have a well-known name.
During my time as a spy in the Martial Alliance, I had familiarized myself with high-ranking officials of the State to some extent. If I knew his identity, it would be easier to respond.
"How dare a subject summoned to the Right Army Commander's Office on suspicion of violating national decrees ask for my name?"
One of the officers cut in.
He seemed quite triumphant because I had come here alone.
The officer who had rebuked me pointed his spear at me and said,
"And you were told to come unarmed! You have violated that! Lay down your weapons immediately and remove that hideous ghost mask!"
I snorted at his words.
"I'm afraid that will be difficult. I must protect myself as well."
"What did you say?"
"And since you mentioned 'suspicion' just now, that implies my guilt has not yet been proven."
The officer's expression turned grim.
Thanks to his blustering, I had gained a small but useful piece of information.
It seemed the Regional Military Commander I bribed had either hidden the ledgers well or destroyed them.
If that was the case, there was no reason to act weak.
The enraged officer pointed toward the Blood Cult headquarters.
"You truly wish to see those people turned into pincushions by a rain of arrows."
He was threatening me.
I replied in a voice that had grown somewhat cold.
"I answered the summons alone out of respect for the State's dignity, but it is troublesome if you act this way."
"Ha! And what will you do if you are 'troubled,' you wretch? Do you wish to be summarily executed on the spot—?"
-Thud!
Before he could finish his sentence, the officer's eyes rolled back, and he fell from his horse.
It was the price for staring too intently into my eyes.
"What!"
"What is this!"
Seeing the officer unconscious, the other generals immediately aimed their weapons at me.
The bearded general's voice rose in pitch as he spoke to me.
"What did you do?"
Since there was no sign of martial arts being used, he seemed quite shocked that his subordinate had suddenly fainted.
I replied in a gentle tone.
"I put him to sleep for a moment for his rude behavior."
"Sleep? Are you not afraid of this situation? If I but raise my hand, the arrows will fly."
"It's too late for that."
"What?"
"Before you can raise your hand, everyone within a three-zhang radius of me will die."
As soon as I finished speaking, I released my aura.
-Vroooooom!
I didn't even need to open my Upper Dantian.
I closed my left eye, opened my Middle Dantian, and let my energy flare. The expressions of the bearded general and his officers froze.
Since they were martial artists, they would recognize the difference in our levels clearly.
They likely felt as if a sharp blade was tightening around their hearts.
The bearded general frowned and said,
"Do you say that knowing that ballistae are aimed at you from all sides?"
"Those only work against people of a certain level."
'!!!'
"If you find it hard to believe, feel free to test it. However, the price will be the lives of all the generals gathered here."
"You dare!"
The enraged bearded general tried to lift his hand slightly.
In that instant, a silver flash of light like a lightning bolt sliced through the air, and half of his long beard was shorn off.
"If you must see whose hand is faster, it won't be your beard next time."
At my murderous voice, the bearded general's hand, which he had been trying to raise, trembled violently and could not go any higher.
The other officers couldn't easily open their mouths either.
Some were even breaking out in a cold sweat from the tension.
I spoke to them in a mocking tone.
"You shouldn't have called me so close."
This is how you threaten someone.